Travel and Venue Solutions

Central government and all wider public and third sector organisations can book air, rail, accommodation, meeting venues and additional travel services in the UK and overseas through leading travel suppliers.       

Updates

October 2024: customers now have the option of our new live RM6342 Travel, Transport, Accommodation and Venue Solutions agreement.

Description

Provides access to products and services related to booking solutions in the UK and overseas including:

  • accommodation
  • air travel
  • ferry
  • Eurotunnel
  • ground transportation (including but not limited to car hire, coach with driver, taxis)
  • rail booking (UK, Europe and international)
  • travel ancillary services
  • air, boat and helicopter chartering
  • crisis management services (including repatriation, emergency accommodation and MEDEVAC) 
    • medevac services refers to the act of flying injured soldiers or an injured person to the hospital by either helicopter or other aircraft
  • security and risk management services
  • implants: this is where an employee of a supplier will work at a customer’s premises
  • solutions for venue finding and booking (including virtual and digital meeting solutions)
  • group accommodation and supporting services including digital and hybrid meeting solutions 
  • provision of additional services when part of a travel project for example: managed quarantine requiring the booking and paying for test kits

This agreement can be used by any:

  • central government department
  • Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) 
  • non departmental public bodies
  • executive agencies
  • Wider Public Sector (WPS)
  • third sector organisations

It will run for three years, with the option of an additional one year extension. 

Benefits

  • choose from a number of leading travel suppliers
  • products and services that provide true value for money
  • access to market leading technology with greater online booking solutions 
  • price match to ensure best available rates 
  • CCS negotiated programmes for air, accommodation and rail
  • virtual and/or digital as well as hybrid meeting solutions available
  • introduction of security and travel risk management services
  • introduction of CO2 emissions reports through online booking tools, enabling customers to make more sustainable choices
  • launch of air, boat and helicopter chartering services
  • lots designed to meet specific customer demographics and needs that can provide a quicker route to market through direct award or further competition
  • also supports Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) policies

 

Carbon Reduction

All suppliers for this agreement have committed to comply with the Procurement Policy Note 06/21: 'Taking account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts' as required. If a supplier is required to publish a carbon reduction plan, you can find it on their individual supplier details page.

Products and suppliers

There are 6 suppliers on this agreement

Lot 1: Booking Solutions UK Points of Sale – Low Touch
Provides booking solutions for a UK point of sale. A point of sale refers to the country where you book and pay for travel. For example, you can book a plane ticket from a UK point of sale if you buy the ticket while in the UK and pay for it in GBP (pounds sterling). This lot provides solutions for customers who:
  • need to book domestic and international travel
  • make a high number of travel bookings using online booking services (such as a website)
  • still want the option of accessing offline booking services and support (such as booking travel by telephone)
Services include:
  • air (both domestic and international), rail, ferry and Eurotunnel travel
  • accommodation
  • ground transport including (but not limited to) car hire, coach hire with driver and taxis
  • supporting services such as traveller tracking
  • optional passport and visa services

Expires:

3 suppliers

Lot 2: Booking Solutions UK & Overseas Points of Sale – High Touch
Provides booking solutions for UK and overseas point of sale. This means that you can book and pay for travel and accommodation in international countries where you have a departmental presence. This lot provides solutions for customers who:
  • need to book domestic and international travel
  • make a low to medium number of travel bookings using online booking services
  • need offline booking services and support
Services include:
  • air (both domestic and international), rail, ferry and Eurotunnel travel
  • accommodation
  • ground transport including (but is not limited to) car hire, coach hire with driver and taxis
  • supporting services such as passenger traveller tracking
You can also access the following optional services which include (but not limited to):
  • additional passport, visa, currency and covid services including test kits and managed quarantine
  • air, boat and helicopter chartering
  • crisis management services including repatriation, emergency accommodation, MEDEVAC and security and risk management services
  • implant services: this is where an employee of a supplier will work at a customer's premises

Expires:

1 suppliers

Lot 3: Booking Solutions Specialist Needs
This lot is ideal for customers who have more complex travel needs. Customers can use this lot to access:
  • online and offline booking services and support
  • booking solutions for domestic and international travel
  • air (both domestic and international), ferry, rail and Eurotunnel travel
  • accommodation
  • ground transport including (but not limited to) car hire, coach hire with driver and taxis
  • supporting services such as duty of care and traveller tracking
You can also access optional services which include (but are not limited to):
  • additional passport, visa, currency and covid services including test kits and managed quarantine
  • air, boat and helicopter chartering
  • crisis management services including repatriation, emergency accommodation, MEDEVAC and security and risk management

Expires:

1 suppliers

Lot 4: Booking Solutions Venues & Events
This is the only lot available for customers who need services to find and book venues for meetings. It also includes:
  • venue find, including facilities for virtual/digital and hybrid meetings
  • booking of group accommodation
  • supporting services such as covid test kits

Expires:

2 suppliers

How to buy

Before using this agreement you should undertake appropriate research and engagement to help you understand all of your needs to fully inform your statement of requirements. You should also consider which lot(s) will best meet your needs. To help you do this, read framework schedule 1 (specification).

Direct award is the only option under lot 2 and 3, as these are single supplier lots. To access these lots, you should work with the supplier to complete your call-off contract.

Lots 1 and 4 can be accessed in two ways, either by direct award or by running a further competition amongst suppliers. Direct award is a quicker and more straightforward route than further competition.

Direct award

Direct awards are allowed if:

  • you develop a clear statement of requirements
  • your needs can be met by the suppliers’ catalogues and the description in call-off schedule 20 (specification) and either:
    • framework schedule 6a order form template (direct award)
    • framework schedule 6 lot 3 order form template
  • all the terms of the proposed call-off contract are laid down in the framework contract and do not need any changes or any supplementary terms and conditions

Tendered agreement prices must be used (there is no scope to lower prices to secure business). 
To direct award, you may contact suppliers with your needs. When contacting the suppliers you will need to provide the framework agreement reference number: RM6217.  

For more information, read the direct award buying process section in the customer guide.

Further competition

You can run your own further competition using your own template and/or processes or the template provided in the CCS eSourcing Tool.

You can also contact CCS to discuss how we can help you run your further competition. For more information, read the customer guide.

Further Competition is the best route when you:

  • need the supplier to develop additional proposals or a solution
  • need to make changes to or refine the call-off contract to reflect your needs
  • need additional provisions that are not already included in the contract, for example:
    • security needs over and above those set out in call- off schedule 9 including staff security clearance
    • additional service levels
    • executive services

To run a further competition you will need to:

  • identify suppliers capable of meeting your needs by developing a statement of requirements
  • complete the order form to reflect your needs
  • invite suppliers identified to submit a tender in writing

You need to set a deadline for suppliers returning tender submissions. This deadline should take into account the complexity of your needs and the time needed to submit tenders. Each tender must be kept confidential until after the deadline. Suppliers do not have to bid, but must advise in writing by the deadline date.

Further information on using this agreement and how to access pricing can be found in the customer guide.

Pay for these services using your procurement card and increase rebate earning potential for your organisation.  If you do not have a procurement card, you can set one up using RM6248 Payment Solutions 2.

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